Keep Your Optics Open
by Doctor Pharma
Summary: The best advice Starscream received was to always keep his optics open. This is the Seekers life, shortened, of how he grew from Orphan to Scientist to Decepticon to Autobot. AU warning, very slight OP/SS. Set within the "Starscream's Story" 'verse.


Everyone! I haven't abandoned "Starscream's Story!" I just haven't had time to write the next chapter. I've been really busy and I had to go to the ER on Friday...ugh. But I saw The Hunger Games on Saturday (GO WATCH IT! READ THE BOOKS TOO! THEY'RE AMAAAAAZING!) and bought the soundtrack and a lot of the songs inspired me to write different oneshots based on them! =D You'll see those soon too! (Hopefully...) Now, enjoy this and please be patient for the next chapter in "Starscream's Story". Enjoy!

Oh yeah, don't own Transformers or the song "Eyes Open" by Taylor Swift.

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><p><em>Everybody's waiting,<em>

_Everybody's watching,_

_Even when you're sleeping,_

_Keep your ey-eyes open!_

"Oh! He's just perfect! A gift from Primus!"

Brightbeam smiled and cradled her Newspark close, the tiny Seeker's colors already starting to come in. She could see white, red, and blue. The Femme cooed to her little one, optics bright with joy and wonder. Her mate, Starwipe, had the same smile on his face. His Spark swelled with pride at the sight of their Creation, he was perfect.

"What should we name him, Sweetspark?"

Brightbeam clicked a few times, thinking carefully.

"He should have 'Star' in his name, after you, my dear."

Starwipe nodded and placed a gentle servo on the Newsparks helm, the little ones optics popped on and he began to wail, making both Creators wince and laugh softly.

"Starscream. His name will be Starscream."

Brightbeam nodded and focused on soothing her Bitlit back to sleep.

"Starscream...my little Star. How perfect. I love you so much, my little Bitlit."

_The tricky thing,_

_Is yesterday we were just children._

_Playing soldiers,_

_Just pretending!_

With a battle cry Starscream lept onto another Youngling's back, making him crash into the ground. He quickly rolled off and ran away, laughing and weaving in and out of the other Younglings. He had been in the Communal Care Center for a while now, both of his Creators had been blown up in an accident and was dumped off in the slag heap for orphans. He didn't really miss his Creator's, he hadn't known them for very long.

"Attack! The enemies forces are down! Dive, dive, dive!"

Starscreams team roared and attacked the opposing team. Playing 'Solider' was a favorite game of the Youngling Mechs in the Center, the Femmes preferred to sit around and talk. They played to forget their situation. Stuck in Vos, in a Care Center, the Younglings were underfed, dirty, often sick and injured, and alone most of the time since their 'Caretakers' didn't want to do their jobs.

"Spiraldown, to the left! Updraft is standing there like a moron! Cloudtwister, double back and help Carryover! The rest, with me! TO VICTORY! FOR VOS!"

The cry went up among Starscream's 'army'.

"FOR VOS!"

Now, Starscream was smart. Almost scarily so. The Seekerling managed to get his servos on any datapad that came his way and practically inhaled the information. Though young, he had plans. And none of them involved remaining in Vos for the rest of his life, he would escape.

_Dreaming dreams with happy endings!_

_In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords!_

Against all odds Starscream had managed to claw his way into the Iacon Science Academy. His intelligence and determination had got him in, but sometimes he wanted out. He was constantly harassed for being a Seeker, a military build. He could easily talk circles around most of the professors for Primus' sake! But none of that mattered. They only saw the Seeker, not the Mech behind the build.

Well, except for one.

"Skyfire, what's your biggest dream?"

Skyfire, a soft-spoken, gentle shuttle was Starscream's only friend in the Academy. He was harassed due to his large size and quiet nature. Both outcasts in a world that did its damnedest to hate them.

"My...biggest dream?"

Skyfire looked at his friend curiously, Starscream wasn't a Mech that often entertained such thoughts.

"Yes you dolt! Do I have to repeat myself?"

The tri-colored Seeker rolled his optics and waited for Skyfire's reply.

"Well...I guess my biggest dream would be to discover another world that had life on it! Intelligent life!"

Skyfire was stunned when Starscream chuckled softly and shook his helm.

"Skyfire, Skyfire, Skyfire...you dream to small!"

"Oh? And what's your biggest dream, Starscream?"

The Seeker grinned and stood up, balancing on the Shuttles large shoulder.

"Equality for all Seekers! I want to see it happen!"

_But now we've stepped into a cruel world..._

_Where everybody stands and keeps score..._

_Keep your eyes open!_

He lost Skyfire...his only friend. Lost him to the world that they had been exploring. He had been kicked out of the Academy, the Science Board deeming that he had sent the Shuttle to his deactivation on purpose! Starscream was lost, back in Vos, he didn't know what to do.

What could he do?

"Hey, are you going?"

"Of course! It's about time that somebot stood up and started doing something!"

The Seekers attention was caught, two others were talking about some meeting was going to take place. They sounded really excited.

**_'I don't have anything else going for me...might as well see what all the slag is about.'_**

Starscream followed the other Mechs to a meeting being held in an abandoned Care Center, dozens of Seekers and other flyers crowded around a makeshift stage. Growling at the other flyers, Starscream elbowed and threatened his way to the front where he layed optics on a silver-colored ground-pounder.

**_'What the frag is a ground-pounder doing in Vos?'_**

Raising an optic ridge and crossing his arms, he listened to the Mechs words.

He was hooked.

This Mech...this ground-pounder knew exactly what they were going through! He described the oppression, the pain, the humiliation of being a gladiator in Kaon. He spoke of their shared pain, the upper-class constantly using and abusing the lower-classes, leaving them to rust.

The silver Mech spoke of a world of equality! Not just for Seekers, but for all Cybertronians! No bot would be better than the other! They would all be treated equally!

In that moment, Starscream knew he would do anything for this Mech! Help him achieve his dreams of peace and equality!

He would pledge his Spark to this Megatron.

_Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown!_

_Everybody's watching to see the fallout!_

Once he joined this little army Starscream was constantly underestimated. He was small, he spoke too much, did more thinking than action. The others laughed at him and warned him to go home before the fighting tore him apart. Starscream responded by flyer faster and higher than any other Seeker, learning how to handle a weapon in only a few tries, and sent many uppity Seekers crying to their Wingmates from his cruel words. He wasn't going to let them stop him!

_Even when you're sleeping, sleeping!_

_Keep your ey-eyes open!_

_Keep your ey-eyes open!_

_Keep your ey-eyes open!_

_So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard._

One of the best pieces of advice that Starscream ever received was from an older Seeker.

"Best keep your optics open at all times, Youngling! Even when you're in recharge, never known when some jealous fragger is gonna decide that you're better off in the scrap heap!"

The old Mechs advice ended up saving him many times. He never truly slipped into recharge, only half-way which made him constantly tense and snappy.

Better tense then dead.

_Every lesson forms a new scar,_

_They never thought you'd make it this far._

_But turn around, oh they've surrounded you!_

_It's a showdown, and nobody comes to save you now._

How long had it been?

How long since the start of the war?

How long since he had devoted himself to Megatron and the cause?

How long since he met his Trinemates?

How long since his leader had lost his CPU and started to beat him?

_**'Far too long...'**_

Starscream struggled to get back on his peds, but before he could even get halfway up another strike forced him back down and made his frame tremble in pain. The war had raged on long and hard, both sides now stuck on some dust-ball planet with the 'Cons slowly starving to death!

He hated Megatron.

Hated what the once powerful Mech had become.

An abusive, crazed, shell of his former self.

Starscream had been trying to kill the slagger for vorns now! But he never could! He was constantly beat down and yet, never killed. Only Primus knew what went through Megatron's cracked processor these days.

The other 'Cons had formed a circle around their leader and SiC, Starscream had hissed to Skywarp and Thundercracker, his Trinemates, to keep out of the beatings. Let the slagger take out his anger on him, not them.

"Well Starscream, though I doubt it, I highly hope you've learned your lesson!"

Another kick to his frame sent him rolling into Astrotrain, the larger 'Con jumping out of the way and sending everybot (minus his Trinemates) into laughter.

Looking up with dim optics the Seeker bit his glossa.

Surrounded by his so called 'team mates' and not one stepped up to help him.

His helm clanked against the floor, Skywarp and Thundercracker waiting until they were alone to collect their Trineleader.

_But you've got something they don't!_

_Yeah, you've got something they don't!_

_You've just gotta keep your eyes open!_

They laughed at him, taunted him, disrespected him.

He hated it.

But, he had something that no other Decepticon had.

A will to never give up.

Oh no, he would never roll over and play nice for anybot!

They could all follow Megatron blindly.

Not him.

Even if it cost him his Spark!

_Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown!_

_Everybody's watching to see the fallout!_

_Even when you're sleeping, sleeping._

_Keep your ey-eyes open._

_Keep your ey-eyes open._

_Keep your ey-eyes..._

He still didn't know what to make of the Prime.

The larger Mech treated him so kindly, he always had a nice word or gentle touch for the abused Seeker.

It confused him, why would anybot, especially Optimus-fragging-PRIME, choose to give him such affection and comfort?

He asked the Prime this more than just a few times.

Prime would just smile under his mask and run his digits lightly along the edge of Starscream's wings, making the Seeker coo and shiver.

"Because I know that you're worth it, Starscream. You always have been."

Starscream allowed himself to be slowly drawn into the Prime's arms, into his Spark.

And in turn, the Seeker slowly allowed the other into his.

He could never allow himself to slip into full recharge though, not even in the safety of his soon-to-be-mates arms.

_Keep your feet ready,_

_Heartbeat steady,_

_Keep your eyes open!_

_Keep your aim locked,_

_The night goes dark,_

_Keep your eyes open!_

One shot.

He only had one shot.

One shot to escape with his Trine.

And he couldn't do a damn thing about it!

Starscream hung in Skywarp's arms limply while Thundercracker stood in front of them protectively. Megatron had gone too far this time, if Starscream hadn't wailed for his Trine, he would be dead now.

And they would all be dead soon if they couldn't get past the Coneheads.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Thrust grinned smugly, Dirge and Ramjet standing behind him with their wings spread in an aggressive stance.

"Let us pass, Thrust. Don't make me have to slag you."

The Coneheads all cracked up at this.

"Oh! You, slag us? You have a Trineleader beaten to scrap, a half-clocked idiot warper, and you, the Seeker pacifist! I don't think so."

Starscream knew that the Coneheads weren't just going to stand aside.

They needed a distraction.

The Seekers cracked optics landed on some sparking wires, left over from Ramjet trying to headbutt Skywarp into a control panel.

One shot.

Starscream weakly raised a Null Ray, and fired.

_Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown!_

_Everybody's watching to see the fallout!_

_Even when you're sleeping, sleeping..._

All the Autobots thought he was a goner.

Even the Medic, Ratchet, had been worried.

They were just waiting for him to crash and burn.

But he didn't! He was still online! Online and causing chaos.

He had his friends, his Trine, and his Sparkmate.

What more could he ask for?

_Keep your eyes open._

_Keep your eyes open._

_Keep your eyes open._

_Keep your eyes open._

That night, Starscream curled up in his mates strong arms, and for the first time since the beginning of the war, allowed himself to fully go into recharge.

He didn't need to keep his optics open all the time anymore.


End file.
